St Monica The mother who gave birth to her son twice

"Nevertheless, she will be saved by child-bearing, provided she lives a sensible life and is constant in faith and love and holiness." 1 Timothy 2:15

The vocation of a Christian Mother is not simply to give birth in the flesh, but also to give birth spiritually, and this birth, unlike the pain of the flesh, involves the pain of the spirit. Saint Augustine wrote of his mother, "My mother gave birth to me twice", Monica having given birth to her son both in her physical and spiritual wombs. Like the Blessed Mother, who went through the pain of child-bearing at the foot of the Cross, may God strengthen all Christian mothers to live out their exalted vocation!